February 27, 2011

AMMAN - Roller skating across Palm Park in downtown Amman on Friday, Ahmed stopped in his tracks when he spotted something unusual: tents in the middle of city.

“What is this for?” the 11-year-old asked.

Leftist activist Hamza Budiri tapped the roof of the tent with pride.

“It is so we can demand our basic rights,” he replied.

In its latest attempt to draw attention to its demands for political and economic reform, the Jayeen (We are coming) coalition has taken an unconventional approach.

Following Friday’s march downtown, as crowds dispersed or returned to their weekend shopping, the coalition of leftists, students and public sector workers headed straight to Palm Park in the vicinity of the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) headquarters to erect tents and unfurl sleeping bags to launch its open “sleep-in”.

Fixing Jordanian flags atop the palm trees that encircle the park, now nicknamed “Camp Constitution”, the two-dozen activists said they planned to use the site to host lectures by opposition figures and hold mini-rallies to “place pressure” on the government to enact “change”.

The activists pledged to camp out in the park until the government meets their demands, mainly the establishment of a teachers association, constitutional reform, and increasing anti-corruption efforts, starting with GAM.

The coalition said that despite government promises to enact wide-ranging reforms, including the establishment of a teachers association and a new elections law, the measures have not come soon enough.

“If the government has decided to ‘sleep on it’, so will we,” Budiri said.

The coalition did not seek prior permission from GAM or the interior ministry to erect their makeshift camp, according to Mohammed Sneid, Jayeen spokesman, and it is unclear whether they will be allowed to continue to congregate when the municipality opens its doors for regular business hours today.

In its first day, the camp was already dealt a setback: police reportedly prevented the activists from erecting tents overnight, forcing the protesters to sleep on mattresses sprawled out on the concrete plaza.

The activists said they are far from down and out, and will continue to retire to cots and sleeping bags in the centre of the capital every night to highlight their demands.

“If we have to, we will sleep outside in order for people to wake up to our country’s needs,” Sneid said.

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